In Rachel Bright and Jim Fields picture book, The Koala Who Could, Kevin the koala keeps himself safe by staying firmly in his tree and not venturing down to the ground to play with his friends. Until one day disaster strikes. Unlike Kevin, most koalas don’t have an array of friends trying to persuade them to come down to the ground. This is just as well, because they have relatively few ways of keeping themselves safe. Here, we explore how a koala bear survives the dangers of life in the wild. 

Staying up high

Kevin isn’t so very different from real life koalas in that he likes to stay clinging to his tree. Koalas live in a unique habitat - high in eucalyptus trees. The leaves of these trees contain toxic compounds which most other animals can’t eat, so there’s very little competition and few predators. Large owls and carpet pythons are their main predators in the trees, and koalas will use their teeth and claws to defend themselves against these threats.   

Koalas’ long curved claws and opposable thumbs help them to climb and grip their trees, making arboreal life easier. In addition, they have evolved to have hard bottoms, which make it easy to wedge themselves into the forks of trees and stay there. Koalas rarely need to climb to the ground to drink, since the leaves they eat contain a high amount of water. This helps them to stay out of danger. 

Beating the heat

Recent research revealed that eucalyptus trees are essential for koalas’ survival not only because they provide food, but because they also help to keep them cool. Hugging tree trunks enables koalas to regulate their body temperatures, enabling them to stay safe during the intense heat of Australian summers. 

A turn of speed

When a koala does venture down to the ground, it moves quite slowly and clumsily because it’s poorly adapted for walking. However, if it encounters a predator, it can put on a burst of speed to get away. Koalas’ main ground predator is the dingo, and they can gallop at speeds of up to 30km per hour (18mph) to get away from these wild dogs.  

Koalas are also able to swim when the need arises. They aren’t well adapted for this activity, but their strong limbs and large hands and feet allow them to paddle through water for short distances to evade predators or escape floods. 

Urbanisation

The clearance of koala habitats for roads and housing estates has caused some serious issues for the animals. Increasingly, car accidents, dog attacks and destruction of their home ranges have caused koala numbers to decline. Climate change and bushfires are also threatening their survival. In the face of these challenges koalas themselves can do little, which is why conservation of these critters is so important. 

Meet Kevin the koala

If you like Rachel Bright’s book on koalas, don’t miss the chance to meet Kevin at your local theatre. The Koala Who Could stage show is currently touring the UK, retelling the story with songs, dance and puppetry. Book your tickets today!